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4.7 
Syrdarya Province
Geography and topography
233. 
Syrdarya region is situated in the east of the country, on the left bank of the Syrdarya 
river at its outflow point from Ferghana Valley. It borders in the north with Kazakhstan and in 
the south with Tajikistan. In physical and geographical terms, the Syrdarya region in the 
south is surrounded by the Turkestan ridge, in the north and east - by the Chatkal ridge. From 
the west, it borders the Kyzylkum desert and the Hungry Steppe, and is open for the 
penetration of warm air masses, which affects the climate.
Climate
234. 
The climate of Syrdarya province is sharply continental, with relatively mild winters 
and long hot summers. According to observations over the past ten years, the average 
annual air temperature is + 15.8°С, the average maximum temperature of the hottest month 
of July is + 36.7°С, and the minimum is -1.6°С . The sharp continentality of the climate is 
characterized by a large temperature amplitude: the absolute maximum is in the range + 
42.9- + 44.0°С, the minimum is -15.5-16.9°С. The prevailing wind directions are southeast 
and east-southeast, with a repeatability of 16.5 and 13.0%, respectively.
235. 
The average annual wind speed is 2.7 m/s. Most often, weak winds (0-1 m/s) and 
winds with a speed of 2-3 m/s are recorded, the repeatability of which reaches 38.2% and 
36.8%. The repeatability (10.2 and 6.2%) of high wind speeds of 4-5 m/s and 6-7 m/s is great. 
The first autumn frosts occur mainly at the end of October to the beginning of November. The 
duration of the frost-free period averages 260-270 days. About 390 mm of precipitation falls, 
80% of which falls on winter-spring time.
Surface w ater and ground w ater resources
236. 
The hydrographical network of the Syrdarya province is represented by the section 
of the Syrdarya river, which neighbors Tashkent Province from Bekabad up to the site below 
the inflow of the Main Flood Collector (MFC), irrigation canals and collectors. Inflow of 
transboundary river waters to Syrdarya is equal to 240 cub.m/s and outflow to Kazakhstan 
area - 225 cub.m/s. Main water supplies to the territory of the region are accomplished by 
canals springing from the Farkhad Dam, South Golodnosteppe canal and Dustlik canal 
(named after Kirov). Via main Dustlik canal, water is delivered to supply Syrdarya province 
and it partially flows to Kazakhstan. General water consumption of Syrdarya province 
consists of 2,700 - 3,800 mln. cub.m/year.
237. 
In flat areas of Syrdarya province, the groundwater are at a depth of 0.5 - 1.0 m to 3­
4 m. In the foothills the depth of ground waters bedding varies from 2 to 5 m. In spring, ground 
waters are very close to the surface, sometimes they rise. Most are at a deeper level in 
autumn and winter. Ground waters are strongly mineralized and they rise up causing soil 
salinization. Regarding underground waters, the main volume of fresh waters is concentrated 
in the northern and eastern site of the region in the Syrdarya river valley. Underground waters 
are confined to quaternary and upper-pliocene sediments. Reserves of five deposits of fresh 
underground waters are established in the province: Syrdarya, Central-Gulistan, Upper- 
Pliocene, Khavast and Dustlik.
Soils
238. 
Light grey desert soils and in some areas brackish ones prevail in the Tashkent- 
Golodnosteppe depression. Typical grey soils are widespread by the periphery part of the 
depression. Meadow and meadow-swampy soils are developed in the bottom of the Syrdarya
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river. Typical dark grey soils prevail within the foothill plains and low-hill terrains of Western 
Tien-Shan, and light and typical grey soils - within the foothills of Turkestan ridge. Loamy 
light grey soils of plains are irrigated and used for farming. Gristly eroded light grey soils, 
clayey and loamy, are formed on loess, mostly irrigated or can be used for irrigation, their 
less part is used for dry-farming land and pasture. Meadow soils are used for farming since 
long ago.